Chapters 23 and 24 cover the holy feasts and the
priestly duties. The seven feasts of the Lord are full
of rich spiritual food and bear careful study. We have
already covered some of these feasts. The Weekly Sabbath
is covered in chapter 23:1-3. This is not one of the
seven annual feasts enumerated in verses 4-44, but is
basic to the entire festal cycle and Israel's religion,
and so introduces the description of these sacred
seasons or "set times.".

The Passover is again considered in verses 4 and
5. This feast memorialized redemption from Egypt, when
the Lord passed over the blood-covered dwellings of
Egypt. This was the first feast, basic to all the rest,
as all spiritual blessings rest on sinful man's
redemption by Christ (I Corinthians 5:7), who is "our
passover sacrificed for us." Verses 6-8 cover the Feast
of Unleavened Bread. This pictures the believer putting
sin out of his life. Redemption is to be followed by a
holy life and walk.

The First-fruits Feast is covered in verses 9-
14. This is a picture of the Lord's resurrection, for I
Corinthians 15:20 calls Him "the first-fruits." The
Feast of Pentecost can be seen in verses 15-21. This
feast occurred fifty days after the First-fruits Feast.
Fifty days after Christ's resurrection, the Holy Spirit
came to the believers in the Upper Room. The new meal
offering was composed of two loaves of bread, which
symbolized Jews and Gentiles baptized together into one
body. The fact that the leaven was allowed illustrates
that there is sin in the church on the earth today.

It is after Pentecost that we have the long gap
when there are no feasts. There are three feasts in the
first month and three in the seventh, with Pentecost in
between. This long gap is often referred to as speaking
of the present age in which we live, the Age of the
Church. Israel rejected her Lamb; she cannot receive the
Spirit until she receives her Messiah, and she is
scattered across the world. She has no Temple, no
priesthood, no sacrifice, and no King!

The Day of Atonement is covered in verses 26-32.
This was also covered in chapters 16 and 17. When God
has gathered the Jews together, He will reveal Christ to
them and "They shall look upon him whom they have
pierced." Israel's future Day of Atonement is described
in Zechariah 12:10--13:1. Please take time to read these
verses. It will be a day of mourning for sin, a day of
cleansing by the blood of the Lamb. There are some who
apply the Day of Atonement to the Judgment Seat of
Christ, when the saints of God will give account for the
deeds done in the body. Its primary application,
however, is to the nation of Israel.

The Feast of Tabernacles is covered in verses
33-44. This feast speaks of the future millennial
kingdom that God has promised the Jews. This feast
followed the harvest (verse 39), which teaches us that
God will have gathered all of His harvest before Christ
establishes His earthly kingdom. It was to be a feast of
rejoicing, not sorrow; and certainly all heaven and
earth will rejoice when Christ reigns from Jerusalem.

Our comments today briefly cover God's prophetic
timetable. We do not know when the trumpet will sound,
but it is very important that we be ready for its
sounding and for the coming of the Lord. Matthew 24:44
says, "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour
as ye think not the Son of man cometh.".